Possible to Pickle Summer/Fall Ripe Tomatoes?

I AM SO frustrated, waiting for summer and the tomatoes that are better-then-now.
At thet time, I often chop and mix them with EVOO, minced garlic. red wine vinegar, S and P and seasonings.
I use that compote on my home-made grinders, with some of the excellent cheese and charcuterie we have in Boston. If I could find a way to preserve my tomato compote, so I could eat those grinders in the winter, I would be so happy. I have never pickled anything and I don't know all the rules. Might you help me?

6 Comments

For a few years now, I have been buying the summer plum tomatoes at the farmers market. I'm too lazy to can, so I simply cut them into large pieces and shove them into freezer bags and freeze them. I don't bother to peel them. The peel sort of lifts off when they defrost. I either pull them out before I use them, but often I don't. I wonder if you would want to try this method and then make the compote fresh after they thaw. It won't be exactly the same as using fresh tomatoes, but I much prefer frozen over canned tomatoes. Worth a try. I also make a ton of Marcella's tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes and freeze it to use in the winter. It's a treat to pull that out in February.

Your compote sounds delicious and, sadly, not something that could be safely preserved. The garlic and the olive oil are both difficult to can safely.
Do not despair. You could try freezing, although I think the texture will suffer.
Perhaps it's time to discover other types of condiments for the winter. I suggest giardiniera, chutney, chow chow and kraut as optional sandwich toppings.

You can pickle and preserve tomatoes but I don't think they will be like your fresh compote. My family makes a green tomato pickle but it is more like a chutney than what you are describing. I've made and canned salsas that are good but they have been cooked so the texture is different. Plain canned tomatoes are good for use in cooking but anytime you heat them the texture is going to change from crispish to soft.

I'm not a canner, so I can't give you canning advice. There are many good books on the topic (eg. McClellan, Mrs. Wheelbarrow) and some great recipes on this site. I do, however, make a number of relishes which I've frozen successfully (my favorite is Edna Lewis' green tomato chow chow). I also freeze homemade ketchup. I'm not sure if freezing would work for you here. Food for thought?